It is the object of the present invention to measure the torque previously applied to a threaded fastener by retorquing the fastener and measuring the resulting applied torque. It has been previously proposed in the art to retorque such a threaded fastener and determine the breakaway torque. This breakaway torque is the torque at which the threaded fastener is no longer static but begins to move. This breakaway torque is a good approximation of the torque previously applied to the threaded fastener. This determination has been previously made by applying increasing torque to the threaded fastener until some torque greater than this breakaway torque is achieved. The problem with this proposal in accordance with the prior art is that prior techniques for determining the breakaway torque are insufficiently accurate and insufficiently robust in the presence of differing environments. Thus, it would be highly advantageous to provide a retorque meter which provides an accurate and stable detection of the breakaway torque.